capturing the good life

Mount Rainier

I’ve gotten in this new habit of taking an afternoon off from the 9-5 to go adventure off in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. With so many destinations within a few hours’ drive, it seems wasteful not to. It transforms a day from a morning of meetings to an afternoon of outdoor bliss. This time, I took to the mountain with my favorite adventure and photography friend Mary Jo. We decided on a simple hike to the Fremont Fire Lookout. What was supposed to be a casual 5 mile hike, proved to be more difficult for us than expected. Lots of breaks for “photos” and conversation made the trip much easier. Once we reached our destination, we celebrated with a libation and a lot of photo taking. Back down was much easier, with many stops to take in the gorgeous Mountain Sunset and wildlife. It may have been dark when we got back to the car, but we both agreed it was worth the adventure.

The first two weeks in September have been the highlight of the summer for our household. Not only did we take vacation time from our “real jobs” we managed to back 10 days filled to the brim with friends and love.

There were weddings; One for our friends Brian and Rachelle, and another for friends Mark and Brie. Both were beautiful, both were personal, and both were FUN. Rachelle and Brian were married in Camas, WA at The Fairgate Inn. Brie and Mark chose Lake Chelan Shores for their big day. I only snapped a few photos for Brian and Rachelle, since I was in the wedding party, and a chunky DSLR doesn’t exactly look flattering as an accessory with a bridesmaid dress. I was honored, that Brie and Mark, the brave souls they are, chose me to help with wedding photography along with Brie’s brother Ryan. It was a challenge and a blast all at the same time.

Also during vacation we managed to re-finish our kitchen and master bath counter tops, sleep a little, visit with family and friends including a stop at Ritter Farms and the Roslyn Farmers Market, and made a quick trip to Mount Rainier. All in all the vacation was great and going back to work will certainly be hard to do come 8 am tomorrow. Until then, I might just stare at the beautiful shots of Mount Rainier and dream of a longer stay-cation.

Hi, I'm Monica!
This is where I share my PNW adventures, love for photography, and some down-home DIY. I believe in simple Northwest living filled with family, friends, and the good life.